Feeding mechanism for sewing-machines.



Patented lune l2, I900.

n. NOBLE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed Feb, 21, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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D. NOBLE.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Application filed Feb; 21, 1900.) (No NlodaL) 3 Sheets8haet 2.

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No. 65!,808. Patented Iune l2 I900. D. NOBLE.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed Feb. 21, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DONALD NOBLE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHEELER & WILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

FEEDING MECHANISM 'FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,808, dated June 12, 1900.

Application filed February 21, 1900.

formation of the stitches.

The numerous cloth-actuating mechanisms employed in connection with sewing-machines generally are sufficiently accurate in the control of the feed movements of the plies of the material to satisfy the demands of the trade, except in instances where the slightest variation in the feed movements of one or more of the plies relatively to the feed movements of the remaining ply or plies elfects an undesirable production-as, for illustration, when binding one or more plies, wherein the slightest inequality of feed movement in binding and material will cause one or the other to wrinkle, pucker, or draw; again in the seaming of two or more plies having glazed or smooth-finished surfaces, as c'ambrics, linens, finely-finished silesia, and sateens, and again when it is desired to seam materials sufficiently accurate to carry out the formation of predetermined designs or figures woven or printed into the materials. To this end I have so combined the relative action of clothactuating mechanism and needle movement as'to compel a synchronous advancement of the plies of the material, thus avoiding the imperfection in production resulting from an imperfect control of the feed movements of the plies relatively one to the other.

The mean's which I have produced, as herein illustrated and described, to accomplish the results previously recited embodies, I believe, generically, new features of construction, which features of construction perfect the earlier attempts to overcome the difficulties incident to an irregular advancement of the plies of the material. Other advantages attained by the employment of my improved construction are increased speed with improved production and quiet and ease of op- Serial No. 6,063. (No model.)

eration by dispensing with spring-actuated parts and employing suitable connections for the transmission of the power for effecting the necessary operations of the elements comprising the construction, including the employment of an eccentric or crank,in combination with suitable connections for effecting coaction between the eccentric or crank and the oscillating frame carrying the needle-bar and feed-ha r, thus greatly reducing the noise, friction, and inaccuracy of operation incident to the employment of springs in distinction to positive actuations.

While it has been selected to illustrate the construction and operation of my invention in connection with the employment of two needles and two complementary loop takers, such manner of illustrating in no way affects the application of my invention, as it maybe 7o employed in connection with one .or more needles with equal advantage.

In the accompanying drawings,illustrating my invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarlydesignated, Figurel is a side elevation, with portions of the arm in section, showing enough of a sewing-machine with my improvements in place to illustrate the arrangement, the needles having about completed the downward movement. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, the position of parts being same as in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation similar to Fig. 2, with the parts beginning the upward movement and finishing the cloth-feeding movement. Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 2, showing the continuation of the upward movements of the needle and feed bar. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, with the parts beginning the downward movement. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the oscillatory 0 frame and its needle and feed bar. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section substantially in line 7 7 of Fig. 6.

The bed-plate A, a portion of which is shown in section in Fig. 1, the throat-plate a, the rotating loop-takers E E, the needle-bar H, with its needle-holder h, the needle-bar collar 71;, the presser-bar F, with its lifter-collar f, spring f adjusting-screw R, and presserlifterf, the cloth-presser G, secured to the loo presser-bar F, the needle-bar-actuating link N pivotally attached to the needle-bar by a arm B are parts common to the construction of the well-known Wheeler 85 Wilson verticalhook sewing-machine and enter into the pres having a downwardly-extending portion 19 the inner side of which is provided with a groove 19, said extension being provided at its upper end with a slot 11 for a purpose later to be explained. Adj ustably secured in the downwardly-extendedportion of the overhanging arm is a feed-adjusting disk 1), provided with a groove b which latter receives aslide-block b said block being formed with a stud which receives a screw 12 to retain in their operative positions a sliding bar 5 and a connecting-link b the latter at its opposite end' pivotally attached. to the oscillating frame L by a pin 76- The upper end of the slide-bar b is provided with a roller N, which enters a cam-slot b in a stationary plate WV, the latter secured to the overhanging frame by the screws to w. Secured to the presserbar F is a collar f formed with a lug f and pivotally attached to said lug is a rockrlever f, the opposite end of which is pivotally secured to a connection f which in turn is pivotally attached to the downwardly-extended portion 19 of the eccentric-strap p Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, to the feed-bar K is secured a slide-block by means of the screws 70 70, said block carrying a roller k held in position by a screw 70". The rock-lever is provided with a slot f for the reception of the roller 70 and said rock-lever is actuated from the eccentric P by means of the connection f downwardly-extended portion 10 and eccentric-strap 13 When the said rock-lever is so actuated, the roller 70 acts. as a fulcrum for the said rock-lever to lift the presser-bar F and cloth-presser g vertically to permit of the advancement of the material for the succeeding stitch, such movement of the presser-bar occurring when the downwardly-extended portion p is moved downward by the action of the eccentric P, a movement of the downwardly-extended portion p in an opposite direction acting to permit the return of the presser-bar F to its normal position, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, followed by the employment of the pivotal Cooperating I with this eccentric is an eccentric-strap'p connectionf to move the feed-bar vertically during the continued upward movement of the downwardly-extended portion 19 ferring to Fig. 7, the feed-bar K ismounted .in a groove k on the oscillating frame and secured in such operative position by a plate Tothe lower end of the feed-bar is socured an extension 70, which at a predetermined time in the formation of the stitch is actuated to advance the material for the succeeding stitch.

Explanatory of the operation of the combined mechanism, Figs. 2, 3,4, and 5 represent, respectively, the difierent positions of the elements of construction during four substantially equally divided periods of the rotation of the main shaft S orthe time necessary for the formation of a single stitch,

which relative positions of parts are more readily understood by observing the substantially-quarterly advancement of the needlebar link N. Referring to Fig. 2, the needlebar H is positioned in its downward movement to nearly its limit of stroke. The presserbar extension G, through the action of the eccentric P and the connections previously recited, is illustrated as lifted above the material. The feed-bar extension 70 is illustrated as pressing upon the upper surface of thematerial, the oscillating frame L'in its forward position ready to be oscillated to effect a feed movement of the material, the eccentric P in such position that its subsequent substantially-quarterl y revolution will force the roller the material, causing a relative positioning of parts, as illustrated in .Fig. 3. The succeeding step in the substantially-quarterly revolution of the eccentric P causes the downwardly-extended portion 19 of the cocentric P, through the connection f, to rock the rock-lever f, so as to lift the feed-bar extension above the material, at the same time'causing the presser-bar extension G to be forced down upon the material and the needleto be raised to nearly the limit of its upward stroke, leaving the parts inthe po- 'sition illustrated in Fig. 4. The position of the parts at the finish of the substantiallyquarterly revolution next subsequent is illustrated by Fig. 5, wherein the presser-bar and its extension G and the feed-bar'and its extension 70 retain the same positions, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the oscillating frame having been returned to its position (illustrated in Fig. 2) through the action-of the Vibratory mechanism, consisting of the eccent'ricP as prime mover, the eccentric-strap, with its downwardly-extended portion p, the camslot 19 with its coacting roller b the slidebar b slide-block b and connecting-link b. The fourth step in the coaction of the parts returns the feed-bar extension K into operative relation with the material to subsequently effect a feed movement, the cloth-presserG' raised to permit of the unobstructed advancement of the material, and the vibrating mechanism returned to a position to next effect an oscillation of the frame L to effect a feed movement, all as first recited in connection with the description of Fig. 2. j

Referring to the mechanism foradjusting the length of feed movement, to the smaller diameter of the feed-adjusting disk I) is secured'a feed-adjusting lever T, frictionally held in its. adjusted position by a springwasher t. It the feed-adjusting lever T be moved into a position to cause the groove b in the feed-adjusting disk I) to occupy the position illustrated in dotted lines, Fig. 4, the oscillating frame L will be timed to operatively contact the feed-bar extension K and material, when the oscillating frame is moved forward or toward the operator instead of away from the operator, which is the direction previously herein described, making it convenient for the operator to adjust the lever T to effect feed movements in opposite directions.

It will be observed that the cam-slot 11 in the stationary plate W is more or less inclined from a truly-horizontal plane, so that the roller 12 has a rising-and-falling motion therein in the cycle of movements just described. From this construction andthe arrangement of said cam-slot near the eccentric or prime mover it follows that a quick shifting of the slide-bar and its connected parts is effected.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the function of the feed-bar is to give to the material its feed movements and that the needle through its actuation acts as the regulating power for the synchronous feeding of the several plies. It is true that if no lost motion is to be considered the needle acts in unison with the feed-bar to advance the material; but in actual practice the needle-bar, owing to its range of movement necessary in the formation of the stitches, subjects it and its bearings to excessive wear as compared with the wear on the feed-bar and its bearings, and after a comparatively-short period of practical operation the feed-bar will become the prime member in advancing the material, which mode of operation is favorable to a continued practical operation of my mechanism, thus giving a superiority of construction to the above-mentioned mechanism over similarly-classed constructions, wherein the vibration of the needle-bar is employed to effect a vibration of the feedbar, and in such instance the lost motion incident to wear compels the needle to continuously act as the prime member for advancing the material, and when such material consists of numerous plies or of extremely-heavy material it can be readily understood that the employment of the needle as the prime member for effecting the feed movements of the material is not a desirable mode of operation.

It is not intended that the mechanism herein illustrated and described shall be considered as a strictly non-needle-feeding mechanism, as the needle might be employed for the advancing of the material without departing from the spirit of my invention; but it is desirable and advantageous that the mechanism be so arranged as to cause the feed-bar to act as the prime member for giving to the material its feed movements.

What I claim is- 1. In a sewing-machine, a stitch-forming mechanism,a clothactuating mechanismpivoted to the head of the overhanging arm,.said. cloth-actuating mechanism including an oscillating frame, a feed-bar-mounted in independent hearings in said frame, and con-.

structed and arranged to cooperate with the needle to effecta synchronous feeding of two.

operatively connected with the oscillating frame, for giving to said feed-bar and needlecarrying bar oscillating movements in the direction of the feed of the material, sub stantially as described.

2. In a sewing-machine, a stitch-forming mechanism including an oscillating needlecarrying bar, a cloth-actuating mechanism including an oscillating feed-bar, an oscillating frame pivoted at its upper end in the head of the overhanging arm and having independent bearings for said needle-carrying bar and feedbar, said frame capable of oscillation in the direction of the line of feed of the material, in combination with an eccentric and suitable connections for connecting the oscillating frame with the eccentric, substantially as described. I

3. In a sewing-machine,a stitch-forming mechanism including an oscillating needlecarrying bar, a cloth-actuating mechanism' including an oscillating feed-bar, an oscillating frame having independent bearings for said needle-carrying bar and feedbar, said frame capable of oscillation in the direction of the line of feed of the material, in combination with an eccentric and suitable connections for connecting the oscillating frame with the eccentric, substantially as described.

4. In a sewing-machine, the combination with an oscillating frame, a reciprocating needie-bar and a reciprocating feed-bar mounted in independent hearings in. said frame, and a presser-foot, of a prime mover, such as a rotary eccentric, a rock-lever connected with said feed-bar, and means interposed between said prime mover and rock-lever to periodically lift and depress said feed bar, substantially as described.

5. In a sewing machine, an oscillating frame, a reciprocating needle-bar and a reciprocating feed-bar mounted in independ* ent bearings in said frame, and a presser-bar,

-or more plies of material for the formation of a scam, in combination with an-eccentric IIO in combination with a prime mover, such as a rotary eccentric, a-rock-lever attached at one end to said presser-bar, and fulcrumed to the feed-bar, and connections between the other end of the rock-lever and saidprime mover, substantially as described.

6. In a sewing-machine, a stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needlecarrying bar, a cloth-actuating mechanism in- 1 eluding a reciprocating feed-bar, a" presser foot and bar, a, rotary eccentric, an eccentricstrap having a depending portion, and a rocklever pivoted at one end, fulcrumed to the feed-bar and connected with said depending portion atits other end,- whereby the feedbar and presser-bar are alternately lifted and depressed, substantially as described.

7. In a sewing-machine, the combination of engaged by said slide-bar. to efiect a quick shifting of the slide-bar and oscillation of the ,frame, substantially as described.

' 8; In a sewing-machine, a stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needlecarrying bar, a cloth-actuating mechanism including a reciprocating feed-barman oscillating frame having bearings for said bars, a presser foot and bar independently mounted, a rotary eccentric, a depending strap, a rocklever connected at one end to the presser-bar, fulcrumed to the .feed bar and operatively connected with the depending strap alter- I nately to raise and lower the feed-bar and presser-bar, and a connection between said depending strap and the oscillating frame to efiect the necessary feed, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand .this 15th day of February, A. D. 1900.

DONALD NOBLE.

Witnesses:

WM. H. FINCKEL, E. A. FINCKEL. 

